In the Heights Author Headlines 5th Avenue Show Talks Series!

Quiara Alegría Hudes, local academics featured in special programming to complement first show of the 2010-11 Season

SEATTLE, WA –During the run of the Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights (September 28-October 17), The 5th Avenue will feature a line-up of special guests who will give pre-show presentations.

The 5th Avenue Show Talks Series is sponsored by Macy’s. The free pre-show talks are designed to engage 5th Avenue patrons in a deeper conversation and offer new informative insight into the shows on our stage.

On Friday, October 1, and Saturday, October 2, Quiara Alegría Hudes, award-winning author of the book for In the Heights, discusses the show, her career and her association with Hedgebrook, the Whidbey Island-based writer’s retreat that supports women writers from all over the world. Hudes will also be discussing her brand new children's book,Welcome to My Neighborhood! A Barrio ABC, which, like In the Heights, gives insight into family and life in an immigrant neighborhood.

On Tuesday October 5, Pramila Jayapal, founder and executive director of OneAmerica, invites us to consider In the Heights in relation to the current intense debate about immigration, including the controversial legislation that passed inArizona earlier this year. How does this show give us the opportunity to get a real perspective into the lives and vibrancy of immigrant communities? Jayapal is an award-winning speaker on local and national television and radio shows, addressing diverse audiences on issues of immigrant integration as well as immigrant, civil and human rights.

On Friday, October 8, Matt Barreto, Associate Professor at the UW and the author of the book Ethnic Cues: The Role of Shared Ethnicity in Latino Political Behavior, comes to discuss minority political behavior, with an emphasis on Latino culture. Barreto specializes in Latino and immigrant voting behavior, and teaches courses on Racial and Ethnic Politics, Latino Politics, Voting and Elections, and American Politics at UW.

On Tuesday, October 12, and Wednesday, October 13, Albert Evans, artistic associate at The 5th Avenue, presentsStarring New York City, a concert/lecture discussing musicals in which the city of New York is a starring character. With his varied background as composer (Off-Broadway's hit Pageant, The 5th Avenue's Yankee Doodle Dandy), and lyricist (Mikado, Inc.), as well as dramaturg and music director at The 5th Avenue Theatre, brings a uniquely entertaining and educational perspective.

For dates and details on Show Talks, go to 5thavenue.org/education/showtalk.aspx.